Mumbai currently resembles a chaotic treasure hunt, with nearly every street and bylane dug up—for road concreting, utility repairs, Metro works, or forgotten infrastructure that suddenly demands attention. In some areas, roads are freshly concreted, only to be dug up again to relay missed-out amenities. Officials monitoring the works claim there’s “method in the madness,” and that small stretches are being taken up one at a time. But the sheer scale of this operation is taking a massive toll on citizens—from walkers and motorists to the elderly and disabled.

Emergency vehicles are forced to take long diversions, delaying response times. In many areas, hospital access roads are dug up with no viable alternative routes. Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which mandates accessible infrastructure, Mumbai’s footpaths and streets remain largely non-compliant. For the city’s 4 lakh-plus disabled residents, navigating this mess has become nearly impossible.